Spotting the Great Spotted .....

  

       On that deserted road in the far-flung hill ranges, three of us were engaged in butterfly watching. One side of the serpentine road had thick low lying vegetation while on the other side, sharp hill slopes. A signboard painted in dark orange assured that we had reached the entrance of Dzuleke, our destination 40 km away from Kohima, the capital of Nagaland and 20

On the way to Dzuleke

km away from Khonoma, where we were staying for the last couple of days. The road and surroundings were drenched due to drizzle that accompanied us all the way from Khonoma. As we informed the main intention of the trip, our friendly driver stopped the vehicle near a stream crossing the road just after a sharp curve. The number of butterflies was very less in that wet and cool climate. After a preliminary observation in the vicinity of the stream-side, each one of us walked towards different directions for a chance to find out some butterflies around.

   A small white butterfly with dark spots sailed, a little away. Common species like Chocolate Pansy(Junonia iphita), Grass Yellows (Eurema sp.), etc. were seen along the way and so I took it granted for just a Common Pierrot(Castalius rosimon). It came down on a small pebble some meters away and I managed two-three distant snaps from where I stood. On keenly watching the snaps taken, anterior portion of that small butterfly seemed to be having some uncommon features with a bit of yellow colouration, rather distinct from Common Pierrot. When it moved forward just above the wet ground again and landed down, I followed slowly and steadily towards it,

Naga Great Spotted Blue

moved few steps and bending to the ground clicked my camera twice. On the third click, sensing my movements it disappeared quickly into the thickly grown bushes down the way. On zooming the picture in the camera I became sure that it was not a mere Common Pierrot but another addition to the long list of unfamiliar and unseen butterflies we were observing since the previous day. When Chandrettan returned from his unsuccessful exploration around the stream, showing the image I informed him that there was another addition to our checklist for the day. He zoomed the picture and observed carefully and exclaimed with surprise “ it’s none other than the elusive ‘Great Spotted Blue’ ”. I became wonder-struck for a moment. I was lucky enough to see and photograph that unique butterfly, photographed only once or twice from India, so far. Information on life cycle or larval host plants of Naga Great Spotted Blue is (Phengaris atroguttata lampra (Röber, 1926)) completely unknown. Later came to know that other Phengaris species with interesting brood parasitism are only known from European countries. All of us tried to search that beauty everywhere around to have another glimpse, but even after an hour’s wait, it didn’t come. In nature walks, it seemed, right time, right place and some unpredictable fortune bring the elusive things before your eyes.

Azure Sapphire

Golden Sapphire

Naga Sapphire

Blue Peacock

Newar Threering

Himalayan Fivering

    Butterfly diversity of the North-Eastern states of India is wonderful. The variations in the microclimate, huge differences in the elevation of nearby places, and diversity of ecosystems may be the reasons. Merging of the Indian subcontinent with the South Asian region and the geographical barrier created by the Great Himalayas and resulting parallel evolution in the land-locked regions are also attributed to this abundance by the scientists. Every butterfly enthusiast in India is mesmerised with this opulent and amazing butterfly-bird diversity

. Every one of them lives with longing, at least to have a glimpse of them in one’s lifetime. We too were persuaded by this dream. It was on the second day of our expedition in Nagaland, we luckily had our meeting with the butterfly- ‘Naga Great Spotted Blue’. Since we arrived Khonoma, first green village of the country we were spellbound by the variety, colours and beauty of butterflies around. Picturesque and fabled life, culture and geography of the region are also enchanting. (You will find a write-up on this here) Those memorable days we spent in and around the village was really wonderful.  

Golden Sapphire

Azure Sapphire

Naga Sapphire

      In Khonoma, on the first day of butterflying, we started our walk by 7 in the morning in a brightly lit atmosphere. We were away from the southern part of the nation, and was near ‘the land where the sun rises over the mountains’, first in our country. Wearing leach socks and hat, carrying cameras, backpack with umbrella and necessary snacks, raincoat, for the villagers we were some creatures turned up from some alien world. But to our astonishment, none of the natives cared or bothered about our presence there.

 

Hill Jezebel

Common Jester

Punchinello

Observing and photographing butterflies appearing in front of us by walking through the roads in and around the village was our game plan. Our team leader Chandrettan was a well-known expert in the field, who had visited North-Eastern states many times for butterflying. Some three-ring butterflies were the first to welcome us just in front of our homestay. Little smaller than our Three rings, they were identified as Newar Three-rings (Ypthima newara). This name reminded me of the Newar people in Nepal, their association with Naga people and even the connection of them with Nair people of Kerala, put forward by some scholars.

  As we moved on further towards the road to the village forest, some Swift species, Common Treebrowns (Lethe rohria), Red Helen (Papilio helenus), etc. familiar with us fluttered around. A good number of Yellow Coster (Acraea issoria) butterflies, their caterpillars and pupa were located in and around some creepers of passiflora plants. Winterblyth, one of the doyens of Indian butterflies in his book, ‘ Butterflies of India region’ named Yellow costers as the ugliest butterfly of Indian sub-continent, while selecting the most beautiful butterflies of India. The dull colouration of their wings might have prompted him to such a conclusion. But in the first appearance itself, I felt them as lively, cute insects.

Green Awlet

Tabby

Green Dragontail

  Three species of Sapphires were seen, some quenching nectar from the wild flowers while some others sitting with their bright wings open in the leaves of the bushes. All of them were small in size but having brightly coloured upper and underwings. Golden Sapphires (Heliophorus brahma) are with their bright golden yellowish underwings and crimson orange and dark upper wings. The second species Azure Sapphires (Heliophorus moorei) are with tempting luminous blue upper wings. The endemic Naga Sapphires (Heliophorus kohimensis), very less in number have upper wings with bright black colouration and undersides with deep yellow shades. Common windmill (Byasa polyeuctes), Asian Cabbage white (Pieris canidia), Large cabbage white (Pieris brassicae), Green Veined White (Pieris melete) , Rusty sailor (Neptis sappho) , Additional Lineblue (Prosotas pia), Pale Wanderer (Pareronia avatar), Forest Pierrot (Taraka hamada), Red Admiral (Vanessa indica), Blue Admiral (Kaniska canace), Himalayan Five-rings (Ypthima sakra), Yellow Spot Swift (Polytremis eltola) and Hill Jezebel (Delias belladonna) on a wet patch – all nectaring, flying, resting, basking and puddling by the waysides. Many of them gathered around large and brightly coloured Zinnia flowers. Some of them posed for our camera beautifully, while most others being agile and active were reluctant to be seated in front of the visitors from the faraway land.

  A large number of Red Lacewings (Cethosia biblis) with their colourfully festooned wings posed perfectly before us and sound of innumerable clicks of three cameras filled the area for minutes. A group of brown and beautiful Tabby (Pseudergolis wedah) butterflies sat one above the other to proclaim their solidarity by the side of a small stream. Some Punchinello (Zemeros flegyas), Dark Judies (Abisara fylla) both from Riodinidae family, we couldn’t find anywhere in the South were another attraction on return. ( These were the names given from the mischievous puppet pairs in the British puppetry, ‘Punch and Judy’, Punch, the short form of Punchinello, the husband and Judy his wife. The etymology of

Spotted Jester caught by Spider

common names and scientific names are quite interesting.) Chandrettan’s sharp eyes didn’t spare the very small and cute golden coloured Tiger Hopper (Ampittia subvittatus) hanging from a grass tip. On the branch of a large tree in a muddy way through the forest, we found a Spotted Jester (Symbrenthia hypselis). While we were trying to have a decent image of that attractive VIP, she got entangled in the web of a spider. The Large spider keenly waiting little above its web quickly moved to the spot and the Spotted Jester we just spotted became its food. That is the food web of nature, we pacified ourselves.

  A car from the village was arranged for our next day’s trip to Dzuleke by our host, Mr Khose. That remote village with its sparse population was around 10 km away from Khonoma. Our young and energetic driver was very happy to stop the vehicle wherever he saw some movements of butterflies amidst thickly grown bushes on the wayside. In the ubiquitous Lantana flowers growing abundantly in the open area, we could spot Chestnut Tiger (Parantica sita), Common Flash (Rapala nissa), Large Silverstripe (Argynnis childreni) and common species like Psyche (Leptosia nina), Common Grass Yellow (Eurema hecabe), Common Castor (Ariadne merione), Common Evening Brown(Melanitis leda) And two Swift species( Probably Straight Swift and Little Branded Swift). From the high growing jungles. Pappan Mash came running happily with the images of Common Jester (Symbrenthia lilaea) and Bluetail Jester (Symbrenthia niphanda). As it was drizzling we sped up to our destination. The find of the day, perhaps most valuable find of the trip. Naga Great Spotted Blue described at the beginning of the write-up was spotted just before reaching Dzuleke.

Tiger Hopper

Spotted Jester

Rusty Sailor

Yellow Coster

Yellow-spot Swift

Dark Judy

Veined Scrub Hopper

Large Silverstripe

Red Lacewing

  Dzuleke with its population of only 170, neither having mobile connectivity nor proper electricity was completely drenched in the rain, when our vehicle reached there. One or two home-stays were available there. Doors of the Eco-village committee office was closed and our driver managed to fetch a man driving further downwards the road. A guide, man from the Angami community, was an expert on local butterflies and birds. We followed him through a trekking path towards the forested area. But for our misfortune, the rain intensified and not a single butterfly was seen around. We had to terminate our trek. On return through the road, we went till the border of that village, where a small river was flowing with chocolate coloured water. We spend some time looking around. Tamil Songs were heard from the vicinity. The drivers of the truck engaged in the road

work were from Tamilnadu. From the southern tip of the country, people come to work in the eastern tip- the real national integration! On the way back to Khonoma we had to be satisfied with a Blue Peacock (Papilio arcturus) puddling by the side of the road. A Blue-Spotted Scrub Hopper (Aeromachus kali) was identified from a small bush.

  Some butterflies appear early in the morning and late in the evening. Our host called us for the black tea early the next morning. A Green Awlet (Burara vasutana) was also skipping just outside the coffee table. Leaving the tea on the table and fetching our camera from the room, everyone encircled the butterfly. It was jumping to and fro from the potted plants and ground. After breakfast, followed the same root we travelled the previous day, but this time on foot. Common species we recorded the previous days were plenty

throughout the way. We spent some time in the large playground of a school, covered with green grasses submerged in water. Beautiful Green Dragontail (Lamproptera meges) was sitting with open wings on the wet grasses. As and when we approached, it moved a little away. Though we were fortunate enough to have good glimpses of that butterfly on the ground we were not able to have good photos of the species. Other species of the day included Cruiser (Vindula erota), Common Birdwing (Troides helena), Blue Pansy (Junonia orithya), Metallic Cerulean(Jamides alecto), Six line blue (Nacaduba sp.)and Straight-banded Treebrown (Lethe verma). Less Rich Sailor (Neptis nashona)and Veined Scrub Hopper (Aeromachus stigmata), we encountered on our return made our lunch even late.

Straight-banded Treebrown

Cabbage White

Less Rich Sailer

  The Celerio car to Dimapur travelled slowly through the boulders and mud, rather a road, of the forest adjoining Mezoma winding up and down. But the spirit of butterflying in that unknown land was at its peak. Colours of the wings hitherto unknown, movements of the butterflies hitherto unseen were really an enthralling and memorable event. Unheard, unseen and untravelled far away lands in this mother earth itself are the first and last temptations of human life on earth- be it past, present or future.